Magneto-optic multitrack reading head having a plurality of reflective rays

ABSTRACT

A magneto-optic multitrack reading head on which incident light impinges. The magneto-optic head includes a first layer of magnetic material exhibiting a Kerr effect and which partially reflects the incident light to generate a first reflection ray and which partially transmits the incident light to generate an internal ray. The magneto-optic head further includes a second layer of magnetic material and a layer of non-magnetic material, the non-magnetic layer having a thickness of one-half of a wavelength of the incident light and formed between the first and second layers of magnetic material and through which the internal ray passes. The internal ray is further reflected after passing through the layer of non-magnetic material to generate a second reflection ray parallel to and in-phase with the first reflection ray. The above structure improves the merit factor and signal-to-noise ratio of the magneto-optic reading head.

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08/433,031,filed on May 3, 1995, now abandoned; which is a Continuation ofApplication Ser. No. 07/741,517 filed Aug. 9, 1991, now abandoned, whichwas filed as International Application No. PCT/FR90/00922 filed Dec. 18,1990, published as WO91/10234 Jul. 11, 1991.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magneto-optic multitrack readinghead.

2. Discussion of the Background

It is known that for multitrack heads the product of the number ofelementary heads times the speed of the magnetic tape is substantiallyequal to a constant. Consequently, when it is desired to read a largenumber of tracks, the relative head/tape speed is small, and if it weredesired to use an inductive multitrack head, its output signal would betoo small. In this case, recourse is had to reading heads functioning inactive mode, in particular magneto-optic reading heads.

A known type of magneto-optic head employs the Faraday effect. Thiseffect consists in magnetizing a magneto-optic material, such as garnet,by the magnetic flux produced by the moving magnetic tape, and indetecting this magnetization by virtue of the rotatory capability thatit has on polarized light. The resolution of these known heads islimited by the natural size of the domains of the tape and by the sizeof the light spot for analysis, and furthermore, their efficiency is lowand their output signal is highly noise-affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the present invention is a multitrack head for readingmagnetic tape, which has good resolution, good efficiency, whose outputsignal is the least possible affected by noise, and which is easy andinexpensive to manufacture.

The multitrack reading head according to the invention comprises amagneto-optic transducer with a plane multilayer structure with at leastone Kerr effect thin magnetic layer, at least one layer made ofnonmagnetic material and one layer made of magnetic material with highmagnetic circuit closing permeance. Preferably, the Kerr effect layerexhibits magnetic anisotropy, and its easy axis is in the plane of thislayer and parallel to the magnetic tape to be read. The reading head ofthe invention employs the reading of longitudinal recordings. Thethickness of the Kerr effect layer is such that the magnetic fluxproduced by the read tape brings it close to saturation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood on reading the detaileddescription of several embodiments, taken as non-limiting examples andillustrated by the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an elementary-head forming part of areading head according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a first embodiment of the head of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3A and 3B are simplified side views of a set of several elementaryheads according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the set of heads of FIGS. 3A and 3B,

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram of an opto-electronic reading deviceusing a head according to the invention,

FIGS. 6A to 6D are various simplified diagrammatic views of multilayerelementary heads according to the invention,

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are simplified side views of a reading headaccording to the invention with its optical reading beam guide device,without reflection on the face of the device in contact with the tape,and with reflection, respectively,

FIGS. 8 to 11 are simplified views of other embodiments of the readinghead of the invention with its optical reading beam guide device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The elementary reading head with high resolution representeddiagrammatically in FIG. 1, is intended to read a magnetic tape 2recorded with the aid of a multi-track writing head of any appropriatetype. The head 1 comprises a magnetic circuit 3 in the form of a loopopen at the level of the tape 2, with high permeability at a portion ofwhich is constituted by a very thin magnetic layer 4 constituting theKerr effect transducer. The magnetic circuit 3 is interrupted by anonmagnetic, narrow inter-iron gap 5 at the level of the tape 2. Thelayer 4 is illuminated by an oblique incident optical beam 6, the pathof which may be complex, as will be seen below when describing a fewexamples of embodiments of the present invention. The beam reflected bythe layer 4 is labelled 7 and it is this beam which gathers theinformation corresponding to the variations in magnetization of thelayer 4 caused by variations in the magnetic flux produced by the tape2.

In order that the head 1 may function correctly, it is necessary inparticular that:

the whole of the magnetic circuit 3 has a small reluctance,

that the layer 4 has a very small thickness, so as to be magnetizedvirtually to saturation by the magnetic flux produced by the tape 2.Roughly speaking, the ratio: thickness of the layer 4/thickness of themagnetized layer of the tape 2 (1,000 to 10,000 Å approximately) must besubstantially equal to the inverse of the ratio between themagnetization of the layer 4 at saturation and the magnetization of thetape 2. Given that this ratio is typically of the order of 5 to 10, thelayer 4 advantageously has a thickness lying between 100 and 2,000 Åapproximately. This layer 4 must, of course, have a very high magneticpermeability so as not to diminish the permeability of the wholemagnetic circuit 3.

In FIG. 2 has been represented a simplified diagram of an embodiment ofan elementary head forming part of a multitrack head according to theinvention, and which is much easier to manufacture than the head ofFIG. 1. The elementary head 8 of FIG. 2 comprises a thick layer ofmagnetic material with high permeance 9, of a thickness which can attainseveral microns for example.

On the layer 9 are formed a layer 10 of non-magnetic material, of athickness lying, for example, between 500 and 30,000 Å, and typically3,000 Å approximately, and a thin layer 11 of magnetic material formingthe Kerr effect layer. The thickness of the layer 11 lies, for example,between 100 and 2,000 Å approximately. An oblique incident optical beam12 arrives at the layer 11, which reflects a beam 13. The layers 9 to 11are polished on one of their edges, for example perpendicularly to theirmain surface, and the magnetic tape to be read 14 is applied to the thuspolished surface. According to a variant represented in broken lines, atits end opposite that onto which the tape 14 is applied, the layer 9 canhave a thickening 15 rejoining the beam 13 and thus closing the magneticcircuit of the head 8 to the side of this end. However, this thickening15 is not absolutely necessary for the correct functioning of the head 8because of the very small thickness of the layer 10 relative to thedimensions of the surfaces facing the layers 9 and 11.

The head of FIG. 2 can easily be produced in a single operation ofdepositing layers, and it is not absolutely necessary to etch thedeposited layers, contrary to what would have to be done to produce thehead of FIG. 1.

According to an embodiment of the head of FIG. 2, the two magneticlayers 9 and 11 have substantially the same thickness, namely athickness lying between 100 and 2,000 Å approximately. Such a head hasthe following advantages:

Given that the two magnetic layers are very thin, their magneticstructure can be single-domain, with easy axis parallel to the line ofcontact with the tape to be read. In this case, the head has asignificant advantage: a single-domain structure does not of coursecomprise any partitions for separating domains and any noise related toa displacing of partitions under the action of a variable magnetic fluxgenerated by the tape to be read is thus eliminated.

A thick magnetic layer produces a spurious signal, through the finitepole effect, being manifested through a kind of echo which must beeliminated with the aid of a filter. This filter should have a lengthproportional to the thickness of the magnetic layer. There is thereforeevery reason to produce an ultrafine layer.

A structure which is symmetric (relative to the central plane of thenonmagnetic layer) has the advantage of using the same equalizing filterfor both directions of travel of the tape to be read.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the single-domainstructure of both thin layers is stabilized by applying to the readinghead a permanent magnetic field having the same direction as thehead/tape contact line, that is to say the same sense as the easy axisof both magnetic layers. This field will have a typical value less than100 oersteds.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b have been represented examples of drawings of etchingof the magnetic layers allowing the construction of several elementaryheads disposed side by side on a single structure (nonmagnetic layer andmagnetic layers) such as that of FIG. 2, in order to read a multitracktape. In the case of FIG. 3a, the individual layers 15.1, 15.2, . . .have a "U"-shaped outline, whereas in the case of FIG. 3b the individuallayers 16.1, 16.2, . . . have the shape of parallel rectangular tapes.This etching may affect only the upper magnetic layer or the stack ofthree layers. It is not strictly necessary when the track width isgreater than a few tens of microns. It has a double importance:

it allows the crosstalk between adjacent tracks to be limited,

it allows stabilization of the magnetic structure of the poles whosemagnetizations tend to couple together head-to-tail in anantiferromagnetic arrangement, as is seen in the view of FIG. 4. In thisFIG. 4, the various successive elementary heads are labelled 17.1, 17.2,. . . The arrows drawn on the front faces of the ultrathin magneticlayers in contact with the magnetic tape to be read 18.1, 18.2, . . .and 19.1, 19.2, . . . represent the sense of magnetization of theselayers.

A priori, it can be stated that the structure of FIG. 3a is more stablethan that of FIG. 3b because of its relatively short length (in a senseperpendicular to the surface of the tape to be read). If, in thestructure of FIG. 3a, the poles are lengthened until, in the extremecase, the case of FIG. 3b is attained, the drop in the demagnetizingfactor in a sense perpendicular to the inter-iron gap line(perpendicular to the surface of the tape to be read) opposes the effectof orientation of the anisotropic field, and the reading head becomesmore sensitive, to the extent of becoming unstable in somecircumstances.

The structure of FIG. 3a is more difficult to produce since thepolishing of the slice of the structure must be controlled to within afew microns in absolute position and in parallelism. On the other hand,the structure of FIG. 3b can be polished on an automatic machine.

A multitrack magneto-optic reading system 20, comprising a reading headaccording to the invention, has been represented in FIG. 5. The mainimportance, for the reading of a multitrack recording, of the use of aKerr effect head results from the principle of active reading, theperformance levels of which are not handicapped by a low speed of travelof the tape to be read, as pointed out above in the preamble. Upstreamof the Kerr effect head 21 the system 20 comprises a point source oflight 22, preferably a laser diode, a collimating objective 23, a device24 comprising a polarizer if the source 22 is not polarized, and a λ/2plate serving to render the polarization of the light beam crossing itperpendicular to the direction of travel of the tape 25 to be read, anda cylindrical lens 26 oriented so as to focus the beam collimated by theobjective 23 along a line perpendicular to the direction of travel ofthe tape 25.

As disclosed in the present description, the head 21 comprises a Kerreffect sensor and, in some circumstances, an optical reflector.

Downstream of the head 21 the system 20 comprises an optical imagingdevice 27 typically having a magnification of approximately one; adevice 28 comprising an analyzer and, under some circumstances, a phasecompensator; and a linear optical sensor 29 whose active zone is theoptical conjugate, through the optical system, of the line illuminatedon the Kerr effect head. This optical sensor comprises for example a CCDstrip. The magnification of the downstream part of the system 20typically being of the order of one, it can advantageously be producedwith integrated optics.

Solutions will now be described allowing the merit factor for thereading head of the invention to be improve. The merit factor is equalto the product of the angle of rotation due to the Kerr effect times thesquare root of the reflection factor due likewise to the Kerr effect. Itcan be shown that in the case of a multitrack system the main source ofnoise is Schottky noise related to the corpuscular nature of light. Thesignal/noise ratio of the reading system is therefore directlyproportional to the merit factor defined above, hence the significanceof this merit factor.

The intrinsic merit factor (measured in air, on a very thick layer) formagnetic materials depends on their composition and on their structure.These parameters are likewise involved in the case of thin layers.Advantageously, the magnetic circuits of the head of the invention areproduced from alloys with high iron content, such as: pure iron,nitrated iron and carbon iron, "Sendust" (Fe, Al, Si).

In order to improve the merit factor, the invention provides for the useadvantageously of optical interference effects.

The use of three-layer structures for improving the merit factor formagneto-optic discs is well known. A derived structure with four layershas been represented in FIG. 6a. This structure comprises in order: amagnetic layer 30, a metallic layer 31 reflective at the wavelengthused, a layer 32 made of nonmagnetic material transparent to thewavelength used, and a thin magnetic layer 33 constituting the Kerreffect layer. The incident optical ray 34 arriving at the layer 33 ispartly reflected by the latter as a ray 35, and partly crosses thelatter layer (ray 36), being reflected on the layer 31 (reflected ray37) and recrossing the layer 33. The thickness of the layer 32 is chosenso that the path difference between the rays 35 and 37 is equal to halfthe wavelength of the ray 34. Given that a reflection on a metalliclayer brings about a phase shift also equal to half the wavelength, itis observed that there is formed "destructive" interferences between thenormally reflected components of the rays 35 and 37, and "constructive"interferences between the magneto-optic components of these same rays 35and 37. From these phenomena there results an increase in the meritfactor for the Kerr effect sensor.

A differential three-layer structure has been represented in FIG. 6b.This structure comprises a layer 38 of nonmagnetic material, transparentto the wavelength used, on one side of which is formed a first magneticlayer 39 and on the other side of which is formed a second magneticlayer 40. Both these magnetic layers exhibit a Kerr effect. By ajudicious choice of the angle of incidence of the incident ray 41 and ofthe refractive index of the dielectric layer 38, this layer 38 can beformed so that its thickness is at one and the same time that necessaryfor the inter-iron gap of the structure of the transducer and for a λ/2offset in path of the light rays. In this case, the layer 39 can playthe role of the reflector 31 of FIG. 6a in addition to its role of Kerreffect layer. Thus, besides the interference effect described above forFIG. 6a, the structure of FIG. 6b exhibits an effect of combinations ofKerr effect. The rays reflected by the layers 40 and 39 are labelled 42,43 respectively. The rotation by the Kerr effect of the layer 39 isdeducted from that due to the layer 40. There is therefore a rejectionof the effect of the symmetrical magnetizations of the two magneticlayers 39, 40 (which could be described as monopole type functioning),and addition of the rotatory effects of the opposing magnetizations ofthese two layers (dipole type functioning).

A structure with five very thin layers with differential effect,combining the features and advantages of the structures of FIGS. 6a and6b, has been represented in FIG. 6c. This structure of FIG. 6ccomprises, in order: a reflecting metallic layer 44 (which can bethick), a first dielectric layer 45, a first ultrathin layer of magneticmaterial 46, a second dielectric layer 47, and a second ultrathin layerof magnetic material 48. The incident ray 49 is in part reflected by thelayer 48 (ray 50) and in part transmitted by this layer (ray 51). Thetransmitted ray 51 is, in its turn, partly reflected by the layer 46(ray 52) and partly transmitted (ray 53). The transmitted ray 53 isreflected by the layer 44.

In this structure of FIG. 6c, the two dielectric layers 45, 47 have thesame thickness and each produce a phase shift equal to half thewavelength used. The structure (46-47-48) makes the rays 50 and 52interfere in such a way as to intensify the Kerr effect produced by thelayer 48, as explained for FIG. 3a.

Similarly, the structure (44-45-46) makes the rays 52 and 54 interferein such a way as to optimize the response of the second Kerr layer 46,which response is deducted, as in FIG. 3b, from that of the first layer48. A better rejection of the symmetric (monopole) response can thus beachieved.

In FIG. 6d has been represented a three-layer structure formed on asubstrate S transparent to the wavelength used: magnetic layer 55,dielectric layer 56, magnetic layer 57. If the angle of incidence I ofthe incident ray 58 and the refractive indices n1 (layer 56) and n2(substrates) are chosen in such a way that:

    n2. sinI=n1

the conjugation of two effects is obtained: total reflection at theinterface of the layers 56-57, which produces the same effect as anoptimized three-layer structure and, furthermore, the presence of anevanescent wave propagating in the layer 57 produces a rotation by theFaraday effect which is added to the rotation by the Kerr effect, thiscorrespondingly increasing the merit factor for the structure.

In all the structures described above, an additional dielectricindex-matching layer can be added between the first magnetic layer (thatwith Kerr effect) and the substrate. Such an additional layer, when itsrefractive index is chosen judiciously, plays an anti-reflective role atthe substrate-Kerr layer interface, this allowing the incident lightenergy to be made to interact more efficiently with the magneto-opticlayers.

In order to be able to use the magneto-optic structure described aboveunder optimal conditions, the problems of contact with the tape and ofoptical routing must also be solved. There are described below, withreference to FIGS. 7a to 11, embodiments according to the invention ofmagnetic heads and of dielectric layers (viewed along the same axis asthe structures of FIGS. 2 or 6a to 6d) for the reading of multitracktapes (the magnetic layers being for example etched as indicated in FIG.3a or 3b). This transducer structure will simply be called a Kerrstructure and will simply be represented in the form of a rectangle.This is also the structure labelled 21 in FIG. 5.

A simplified magneto-optic head 59, without reflector, has beenrepresented in FIG. 7a and 7b. The Kerr structure 60 is produced on ablock 61 of nonmagnetic material transparent to the wavelength used. Theblock 61 has the shape of a parallelepiped truncated at one of its frontends (the anterior end lying to the side of the tape to be read, inproximity to the structure 60) perpendicularly to its narrow lateralfaces (that is to say perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing) alongtwo planes making an obtuse angle of approximately 135° between them.Two plane faces 62, 63 making this angle of approximately 135° betweenthem are thus obtained at this front end. Another block 64, producedwith the same material as that of the block 61, is cemented onto thelarge face of the block 61 carrying the structure 60. The anterior face65 of the block 64 is cut on a slant, continuing on from the face 62,and both these faces are polished in order to form a substantiallycylindrical surface on which the tape to be read 65A will pass. Anoptical ray guide prism 66 is cemented onto the other large face 61. Theprism 66 is such that the incident rays 67, entering through its face66A, arrive directly at the structure 60, are reflected thereat, runalongside the face 62 while slightly separated therefrom, are totallyreflected on the face 63 and exit the block 61 (emergent rays 67A).Given that the tape 65A does not come into contact with the face 63,there is no danger of wear to the latter. The reflection on this face 63will therefore always be total.

The importance of the head 59 is that, besides its simplicity, possiblewear due to the tape 65A has no optical effect, since the optical ray 67is not reflected on the face 62, but on the structure 60 and the face63. However, this head does not have maximum sensitivity because of thesmall angle (typically less than 45°) which the tape 65A makes withrespect to the structure 60.

In FIG. 7c has been represented a head 68 with glassy total reflectionon the polished face of the optical block in contact with the tape to beread.

The head 68 comprises a first optical block 69 substantially in theshape of a right-angled parallelepiped, one front face 70 of which isslightly oblique. The Kerr structure 71 is deposited onto the face 72 ofthe block 69, along the ridge common to the faces 70 and 72, the face 70making an angle slightly greater than 90° with the face 72, chosen so asto separate the entrance and exit beams. A block 73 in the shape of anirregular prism is fixed onto the face of the block 69 which is oppositethe face 72. The block 73 comprises an entrance face 74 through whichthe incident ray 75 enters. This ray 75 arrives at the structure 71 nearits end in contact with the tape to be read 76 (which is applied to theface 70) and is reflected on this structure in the direction of the face70 on which it undergoes a total glassy reflection. The ray 77 reflectedby the face 70 crosses the blocks 69 and 73 and exits the latter throughits face 78. The angle between the rays 75 and 77 is equal to twice theexcess over 90° of the angle between the faces 70 and 72. The anglebetween the faces 74 and 78 is dependent on this angle between the beams75 and 77.

The structure of the head 68 has a better resolution than that of thehead 59 since the typical angle between the face 70 and the normal tothe face 72 is typically less than 30°. In order for this structure tofunction correctly, the tape 76 must not be in excessively good contactwith the polished face 70, in order to avoid suppressing the glassyreflection on this face.

In the head 68 described above, the Kerr structure 71 is visible andunprotected. It is therefore vulnerable. In order to protect it, therecan advantageously be cemented to the reverse side of this structure areverse-piece having a thickness close to that of the block carryingthis structure, before cutting and polishing the face which will be incontact with the tape to be read.

The diagram of a head 79 with integral metallic reflector has beenrepresented in FIG. 8. The head 79 comprises a substrate block 80 onwhich is produced a Kerr structure 81 and onto which is adjoined areverse-piece 82 transparent to the wavelength used. The face of theblock 82 which is intended to lie to the side of the tape to be read ispolished. A reflecting metallic layer 84 is formed on the plane surface83 thus polished, then the blocks 80, 82 are cemented together, whilealigning them so that the layer 84 is nicely tangential to the edge ofthe Kerr structure 81. The surfaces onto which the tape 85 to be readwill be applied are then polished substantially cylindrically. Theremaining thickness of the layer 84 in proximity to the structure 81 isat least sufficient to ensure good reflection of light.

The rear part of the block 82 is cut and polished so as to exhibit twoplane surfaces 86, 87 making an obtuse angle between them and servingrespectively as entrance and exit faces for the incident 88 and emergent89 light ray. The incident ray 88 is reflected on the reflector 84, andthen on the structure 81.

The head 90 of FIG. 9 is a variant of the head 79 of FIG. 8. Themetallic reflector 91 is formed on the substrate 92 carrying the Kerrstructure 93, instead of being formed on the reverse-piece 94.

The incident ray 95 arrives virtually perpendicularly to the entranceface 96 of the substrate 92, is reflected on the layer 91, and then onthe structure 93. The emergent ray 97 exits the head while crossing aprismatic block 98, the exit face 99 of which is substantiallyperpendicular to the ray 97.

In FIGS. 10 and 11 have been represented embodiments calling uponmaterials each with a high refractive index: greater than 1.5 andtypically close to 2. Thus, even if the tape to be read is in intimatecontact with the reflection surface of the optical blocks, it cannotdisturb the total reflection since the refractive index of the bindersused for manufacturing the tape is at most 1.5.

The head 100 of FIG. 10 comprises a substrate 101 supporting a Kerrstructure 102 at the end of one of its large faces. A reverse-piece 103cemented against the substrate and the structure protects the latter. Onthe other large face of the substrate 101 is cemented an entrance prism104 with a triangular cross-section, the entrance face 105 of whichmakes with the surface of the structure 102 an angle equal to the angleof incidence which the incident ray 106 should make with this structure,the ray 106 being sent perpendicularly to the surface 105. This angleadvantageously lies between 30° and 60° approximately. The frontsurfaces of the blocks 101 and 102 intended to come into contact withthe tape to be read 107 are shaped into a substantially cylindricalsurface 108. The incident ray 106 is reflected firstly on the Kerrstructure 102; then on the face 108 (at which it arrives with an angleof incidence greater than the critical angle) and the emergent ray 109exits the block 101 perpendicularly to its large face 110 (opposite thatcarrying the structure 102). Of course, the shape of the surface 108 isdetermined in order to allow this path of the light ray. If the ray 109is perpendicular to the face 110 the need to repolish the latter isavoided.

The head 100 can advantageously be produced as follows:

1/ Deposition of the structure 102 onto a substrate (101) of high index,for example SF58 glass, zirconia or GGG. Preferably, the structure 102is produced like the structure of FIG. 6d, the inter-iron gap material(layer 56 on FIG. 6d) having a refractive index which is the smallestpossible, so as to obtain a total reflection at the interface betweenthe magnetic layer (layer 57, FIG. 6d) and the inter-iron gap. Thisinter-iron gap material is advantageously silica (index close to 1.5) orMgF₂ (index 1.38).

2/ Etching of the structure (55 to 57 in FIG. 6d) in order toindividualize the heads (for example as indicated in FIG. 3a or 3b).

3/ Cementing of the reverse-piece 103. The reverse-piece is producedpreferably with the same material as that of the substrate 101.Preferably, the cement used has the same hardness as the substrate 101.

4/ Sawing of the stack 101-102-103 and rough grinding of the surface108.

5/ Abrasive-belt finishing of the surface 108 which should have aquality optical polish.

6/ Cementing of the prism 104.

A variant embodiment of the head 100 of FIG. 10 has been represented inFIG. 11. In this FIG. 11, the elements similar to those of FIG. 10 areassigned the same numerical labels.

The head 111 of FIG. 11 differs from the head 100 in that the block 112is cut so that its incident ray entrance face 113 opposite the roundedfront face (defining with the front face of the block 102 the surface108) is perpendicular to the incident ray 106, the path of the rays 106and 109 remaining the same in both cases. The entrance prism 104 is thusomitted.

The head 100 or 111 thus has a structure which is virtually unaffectedby wear due to the tape to be read. It may therefore be suitable forsystems with very high throughput of data to be read, and withsignificant tape travel speed.

I claim:
 1. A magneto-optic multitrack reading head on which an incidentlight beam impinges, comprising:a first layer of magnetic materialexhibiting a Kerr effect and which partially reflects the incident lightbeam to generate a first reflection ray and which partially transmitsthe incident light to generate an internal ray; a second layer ofmagnetic material; a layer of non-magnetic material formed between thefirst and second layers of magnetic material and through which theinternal ray passes; means for reflecting the internal ray, wherein theinternal ray is reflected off the means for reflecting after passingthrough the layer of non-magnetic material to generate a secondreflection ray parallel to and in phase with the first reflection ray;wherein a thickness of the layer of non-magnetic material is one-half ofa wavelength of the incident light.
 2. The magneto-optic multitrackreading head according to claim 1, wherein a magnetic tape to be read isapplied to an edge of the first layer of magnetic material.
 3. Themagneto-optic multitrack reading head according to claim 1, wherein thelayer of magnetic material, the second layer of magnetic material andthe layer of non-magnetic material are not etched.
 4. The magneto-opticmultitrack reading head according to claim 1, wherein the means forreflecting the internal ray includes the second layer of magneticmaterial which further exhibits a Kerr effect and the internal rayreflects off the second layer of magnetic material to generate thesecond reflection ray.
 5. The magneto-optic multitrack reading headaccording to claim 1, wherein the means for reflecting includes areflective layer formed between the layer of non-magnetic material andthe second layer of magnetic material, the internal ray reflecting offthe reflective layer to generate the second reflection ray.
 6. Themagneto-optic multitrack reading head according to claim 1, wherein thefirst layer of magnetic material has an easy axis in a plane parallel toa magnetic tape to be read.
 7. The magneto-optic multitrack reading headaccording to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first layer of magneticmaterial is between 100 and 2,000 Å.
 8. The magneto-optic multitrackreading head according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer ofnon-magnetic material is between 500 and 30,000 Å.
 9. The magneto-opticmultitrack reading head according to claim 2, wherein a permanentmagnetic field having a same direction as the edge of the first layer ofmagnetic material is applied.
 10. The magneto-optic multitrack readinghead according to claim 1, wherein the means for reflecting the internalray includes the second layer of magnetic material which partiallyreflects the internal ray to generate the second reflection ray andpartially transmits the internal ray to generate a second internal ray,and further comprising:a second layer of non-magnetic material throughwhich the second internal ray passes; and a reflective layer whichreflects the second internal ray after passing through the second layerof non-magnetic material to generate a third reflection ray parallel tothe first and second reflection rays.
 11. The magneto-optic multitrackreading head according to claim 10, wherein the second layer of magneticmaterial exhibits a Kerr effect.
 12. The magneto-optic multitrackreading head according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectricindex-matching layer formed adjacent to the first layer of magneticmaterial.
 13. The magneto-optic multitrack reading head according toclaim 1, further comprising a substrate block made of a materialtransparent to a wavelength of the incident light on which the first andsecond layers of magnetic material and the layer of non-magneticmaterial are formed.
 14. The magneto-optic multitrack reading headaccording to claim 13, further comprising a light ray guide blocktransparent to the wavelength of the incident light and cemented ontothe substrate block.
 15. The magneto-optic multitrack reading headaccording to claim 13, further comprising a reverse-piece cemented ontothe substrate block.
 16. The magneto-optic multitrack reading headaccording to claim 15, wherein the reverse-piece is made of a materialtransparent to a wavelength of the incident light and serves in guidingof the incident light and/or reflection rays.
 17. The magneto-opticmultitrack reading head according to claim 15, wherein a tape to be readcontacts the reverse piece, and further comprising a reflective layer incontact with the tape to be read and formed on the reverse-piece. 18.The magneto-optic multitrack reading head according to claim 13, whereina surface of contact of at least the substrate block with a tape to beread is rounded.
 19. The magneto-optic multitrack reading head accordingto claim 13, wherein the substrate block is formed of a material with arefractive index higher than that of a magnetic layer of a tape to beread.
 20. The magneto-optic multitrack reading head according to claim19, wherein the refractive index of the substrate block is at least 1.5.